The Rules

The rules say how you think and what you believe are the most important things.

The dare looks at how you live and who you love, and later looks back later to notice, “Oh, that’s what you believe”

The rules say once you stake out a position, you should stay with it, else you might have been wrong.

The dare calls you to take in new information, keep learning, and if need be, reconsider of your viewpoint.

The rules say you should save your money and be prudent, protect and don’t get ripped off.

The dare tells you to take her out for a fancy dinner and not even mention the prices. The dare tells you to treat yourself, when you can, to the blueberries and avocado and good bread. The dare tells you to smile as you give some of your money away, even to the houseless person who might use it for unapproved purposes.

The rules say if you listen – actually listen and not pre-think your rebuttal – to someone who disagrees with you, you’ll be seen as weak, or on their side, or worse, they’ll convince you to change your mind.

The dare tells you there is no propositional territory to protect, no argument to win, only what you’ve learned so far on the journey, and the joy of discussing it with others.

The rules say to be consistent, steady, reliable, predictable.

The dare calls you to follow your phases, stay up all night learning and obsessing about your new hobby even if you didn’t last year and won’t next year.

The rules say to stay busy and productive.

The dare reminds you to stop where you are, look up at the sky or out the window, and wonder what all those passing clouds can see from their vantage point.

The rules sneer at the other, how can you stand to think that way?

The dare invites curious investigation into how you came to think that way?

The rules say if you start a blog, you need to consistently stay with it and post on the topics that got you here.

The dare says it’s ok to write about anything, to process through something out loud, or go silent for a while.

The rules say to protect everything you’ve worked so hard to gain.

The dare tells you to imagine a fire or mudslide has swept away all you own. Are you still breathing? Is there still someone you love? Now you know what to protect – and the best way to protect them is to enjoy them.

The rules are a list on the pool deck warning of all that can go wrong when you swim.

The dare wonders if there should be a sign listing the dangers of not getting in the water at all?